Moccasin-type shoe



Feb. 7, 1967 C, E, HARTLEY 3,302,312

MOCCASIN-TYPE SHOE Filed July 19, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

CHARLES E. HART-LEY Fl G. IA BY Feb. 7, 1967 c. E. HARTLEY 3,302,312

MOCCASIN*TYPE SHOE Filed July 19, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

CHARLES E. HARTLEY TTORNEYS United States Patent G 3,302,312 MCCASIN-TYPE SHOE Charles E. Hartley, Avon, Mass., assignor to The Stetson Shoe Company, Incorporated, South Weymouth, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed July 19, 1962, Ser. No. 211,003 4 Claims. (Cl. 36-11) The present invention has to do with improvements in footwear of the moccasin type, i.e. one in which the upper and the outsole are formed from a single integral piece of .sheet-like stock, the sheet-like stock being adapted to extend across the Ibottom of the shoe under the sole of the foot and at least along a portion of the sides. Moccasin footwear has been popular because of its comfortable, soft, and light qualities, and because it can be made more cheaply than welt constructions with a minimum of expense for material and labor. The moccasin-type footwear is characterized by the fact that the portion of the stock forming the sides also extends across the bottom of the sole, and is formed integral therewith. As modified in accordance with the present teachings, this construction can provide the basis for an exceedingly satisfactory and useful type of shoe for many purposes, and in styles and sizes for men, women and children.

For descriptive purposes, certain areas of the moccasintype shoe may be identified as the forward area, the intermediate or arch area and the heel area.

The moccasin-typeV shoe embodying my present invention is characterized by the facts that it incorporates an insole extending the full length and width of the moccasin, is fitted about a last to form the arch, is shank-stiffened along the intermediate area, and provided with a heel secured to the heel area, such that it has style and foot-supporting advantages hitherto limited to shoes having separate outsoles while at the same time being light, comfortable and` soft. For these purposes, the upper is split rearwardly of the intended sole portion, and stock is removed along a rear portion at the intended site of the heel, after which the forward proximate edges of the split lying substantially within the intermediate area of the shoe are then sewn together, the upper portions is then shaped about the insole and a last. Over the sewn edges of the split, there is an outside patch fastened by stitching along two sides and the front end, but leaving the rear end open at the intended heel site. This arrangement forms a pocket between the patch and the insole, the pocket being open at the rear before a heel is applied. Into the pocket is slipped a suitable fiat spring-metal shank stiifener which protrudes from the rear end of the pocket and is there provided with prongs or other suitable fastenings which anchor it to the heel tuck in the heel area and leaving the front end free so that the shank may be flexed by the wearer in walking. Thereafter, the shoe is completed by nailing on a suitable heel, in the usual manner, the heel serving to close the rear end of the pocket and to mask and support the pronged end of the metal shank stiifener. Moccasin shoes embodying my invention are found to have exceptional wearing properties; this results in part because a soft cushion insole in provided between the foot and the portion of the upper which forms the outsole. Impact of the shoe on a walking surface is less violent, and the sole is not lbent too sharply; consequently, the wear is appreciably less and the shoe tends to remain in good condition longer.

My invention resides in part in the herein described method of manufacturing the shoe. This will be fully understood from the following description and the drawings, wherein:

In the drawings, FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective of the moccasin shoe embodying my invention;

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FIGURE 1A illustrates the principal parts of the shoe of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 2 is a section on line 2 2 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal section part of the shoe shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a View of the bottom of the rear portion of a shoe embodying my invention, the heel being absent;

FIGURE 5 is a view in perspective of a shank stiffening element and FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of a bottom patch.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, at 11 is indicated the upper which has been combined with an insole, a heel 12, a bottom patch 13, and a back-stay 14, to form a finished moccasin-type article of footwear.

In making the shoe, the combined sole and upper or vamp 11, is irst cut to the proper form, which will be clearly seen from FIGURE 1A. The sheet-like blank 11 for the combined upper and sole mem-ber has two rear end portions, 15 and 16, which are spaced apart by a V-shaped slit 17 at the intermediate portion corresponding to the instep area of the foot of the user and by a wider opening 18 at the intended site of a heel seat for the shoe. Ends 15a and 16a of portions 15 and 16 are brought together and stitched, closing the rear of the shoe, and a back stay 14 may subsequently be stitched over the seam, if desired. Next, the side edges of the slit 17 along the median line 19-19 of the upper are brought together and stitched. This advantageously shapes the upper somewhat to the instep of the wea-rer. The bott-om patch 13 is stitched in place onto member 11 in overlying relationship to stitched slit 17, by through-and-through stitches along its near-marginal front edge 13a and side edges 13b and 13e, only. Then the shaped cushioning insole 20 is tacked on the bottom of a suitable last, two tacks ordinarily being used for this purpose, one over the heel and the other forward of it. The member 11 is then suitably moistened or otherwise tempered and is stretched over the last with the insole applied; this is done -by the handsewer. The edges of the top of the upper are fastened, by hand stitching, to the edges of a suitable plug 21 which forms the top of the forepart of the shoe. The shoe is next dried on the last, to x the desired contou-ring.

Cement is then applied to the heel seat and allowed to dry, after which the last is pulled and the insole removed, then the last is put back in, and a heel tuck 30 is inserted in the back bottom part of the heel area. The heel seat is lasted on a known type of heel seat lasting machine to wipe in excess leather, the latter being fastened to the heel tuck in the heel area.

Preferably, the heel seat laster also applies heat to assure proper wiping of the upper material around the heel. A resilient shank stiffener of a suitable material 22 is slid under the patch 13, between the patch 'and outside of stitched slit 17, and is fastened in place. For the latter purpose I prefer to use a shank stiffener with prongs 23; these are caused to pierce t-he heel tuck 30 at the heel site and are then pounded down or clinched yagainst the metal heel plate with which the last is usually provided. The shank stiffener helps maintain the shoe sole area in a resilient extended position. The heel is put on over the exposed open end of patch 13, and the exposed end of the shank stifiener 22, thus closing the pocket containing the shank stiffener 22. The usual finishing operations are then performed. The top lift 24 (FIGURE 3) is put on and fastened by cement or nailed; the heel is shaved, scoured, stained and polished; the last pulled out, the insole put back in, the upper stained, a sock lining 25 inserted, and the upper sprayed, dried and brushed. It will be understood that these finishing operations are in general old and form no part of my present invention, except as part of the novel sequence of steps, and that the 2i shoe can be finished by any ordinary shoe finishing operations.

Cushion insole is preferably prepared by laminating a thin layer of foam rubber sponge 26 with a layer of leather or leather board material 27, the sponge side of the composite insole being positioned lowermost suc-h that it is in cushioning engagement Wit-h the inside of the sole portion of the shoe where it absorbs impacts and other forces when the shoe is worn. In the finished product, the outsole is integral with sides of the upper, there being no separate outsole attachment, while at the same time the intermediate area of the shoe is contoured to fit the instep of the users foot comfortably and to accommodate the addition of a heel which imparts the desired wearing characteristic of a shoe. The entire footwear assembly is thus preserved soft and extremely light, and manufacture involves but low cost.

While specific preferred practices and constructions have been illustrated and described, it should be understood that various changes, modifications, and substitutions may be effected by those `skilled in the art without departure from these teachings, and it is intended in the appended claims to embrace all such variations as fall within t-he true spirit and scope of this invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A moccasin-type shoe comprising an upper formed of pliable sheet-like material adapted to extend about the foot of a user having a forward portion, an intermediate portion and a heel portion, said upper including at least two side sections and an integral bottom section extending -between the side sections to form an outsole for the shoe, an inside sole extending throughout the inner sole area of the shoe, the upper being provided with a V-shaped slit within the sole area adjacent the forward portion of the shoe and positioned substantially within the sole area of the intermediate portion and merging with a heel opening dividing said heel portion, the edges of the slit being stiched together in the sole area of the intermediate portion to conform the upper to the instep of the user, means securing said divided heel portion, a patch on the bottom of the sole tarea of the intermediate portion over the stitched edges of the slit having at least its side edges secured to the said upper to form a rearwardly opening pocket between the outer surface of the upper and the patch, a resilient shank stiifening element positioned within said pocket and extending rearwardly thereof overlying said heel portion, and heel means overlying the rearwardly extending portion of said shank stiffening element, thereby normally holding the sole of the shoe in a resilient extended position.

2. A shoe comprising a moccasin-type upper member having a forward portion, an intermediate portion and a heel portion, the upper member extending across the bottom of the forward portion to form an outsole integral with the sides of the upper portion, the upper member having a V-shaped slit opening rearwardly of the forward portion and lying along the intermediate portion thereof, said slit merging with an opening in said heel portion of the upper member which divides the heel portion thereof into two separate ends, the edges of the slit being placed adjacent and secured to each other to shape the upper in the intermediate portion to a prede* termined form, means for securing the two separate ends of the heel portion of said upper together, a patch on the bottom of the intermediate portion extending over the stitched edges of the slip and onto the heel portion of the upper member, stitching the front and side edges of the patch to the outer portion of the upper member and forming a pocket therebetween, said pocket being open at its rear end, a heel tuck, a resilient shank stitfener positioned in said pocket projecting out of the open end thereof and overlying the heel portion of the upper member, a heel closing the upper rear end of said pocket and overlying the outwardly projecting end of the said shank stitfener, a plug stitched along the forward sides of the upper member to close the top front portion of the shoe and a cushion insole extending at least over the top of the outsole portion of the said upper member.

3. A shoe as set forth in claim 2 wherein said cushion insole extends fully across the outsole portion of the upper, the intermediate and heel portions of the shoe and includes a layer of sponge rubber, and wherein said shank stiffener includes prongs the outwardly-projecting ends thereof being xedly engaged with said heel tuck.

4. The method of making a shoe which comprises preparing -a one-piece moccasin-type upper member having an integral outsole portion, a cushion insole, a heel tuck, a plug, a bottom patch, and a metal shank stitfener, the upper member having a V-shaped slit along its median line rearwardly of the outsole portion and merging with a heel opening separating the heel ends of the upper member, securing the heel ends of the upper member together by stitching, drawing together and securing the edges of the slit to arch the upper member along the intermediate portion thereof, wetting the said upper portion, stretching the upper member while Wet over the u insole and last, stitching the front side portions of the upper member to the plug, stitching the front and side edges of the bottom patch over the seam on the outer portion of the upper member formed by the stitchedtogether edges of the slit and thereby forming a pocket open at the rear end overlying the heel portion of the upper member, inserting the metal shank stitfener into the pocket with the rear end thereof projecting outward ly thereof and overlying the heel portion of the upper member, securing the rear end of the shank stitener to the heel tuck, and fastening a heel over the rear end of the bottom patch to close the pocket and to cover the rear end ofthe shank stiffener.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 377,757 2/1888 Hickson 36-11 1,594,308 7/ 1926 Llewellyn 36-11 1,972,249 9/ 1934 Schneider 128-589 2,157,818 5/1939 Disch 36-76 X 2,645,042 7/ 1953 Stritter 36-11 2,866,211 12/ 1958 Herlihy 36-11 2,946,069 7/1960 Bozza 12-142 JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

DAVID I. WILLIAMOWSKY, Examiner.

F, I. COHEN, H. H. HUNTER, Assistant Examiners. 

1. A MOCCASIN-TYPE SHOE COMPRISING AN UPPER FORMED OF PLIABLE SHEET-LIKE MATERIAL ADAPTED TO EXTEND ABOUT THE FOOT OF A USER HAVING A FORWARD PORTION, AN INTERMEDIATE PORTION AND A HEEL PORTION, SAID UPPER INCLUDING AT LEAST TWO SIDE SECTIONS AND AN INTEGRAL BOTTOM SECTION EXTENDING BETWEEN THE SIDE SECTIONS TO FORM AN OUTSOLE FOR THE SHOE, AN INSIDE SOLE EXTENDING THROUGHOUT THE INNER SOLE AREA OF THE SHOE, THE UPPER BEING PROVIDED WITH A V-SHAPED SLIT WITHIN THE SOLE AREA ADJACENT THE FORWARD PORTION OF THE SHOE AND POSITIONED SUBSTANTIALLY WITHIN THE SOLE AREA OF THE INTERMEDIATE PORTION AND MERGING WITH A HEEL OPENING DIVIDING SAID HEEL PORTION, THE EDGES OF THE SLIT BEING STICHED TOGETHER IN THE SOLE AREA OF THE INTERMEDIATE PORTION TO CONFORM THE UPPER TO THE INSTEP OF THE USER, MEANS SECURING SAID DIVIDED HEEL PORTION, A PATCH ON THE BOTTOM OF THE SOLE AREA OF THE INTERMEDIATE PORTION OVER THE STITCHED EDGES OF THE SLIT HAVING AT LEAST ITS SIDE EDGES SECURED TO THE SAID UPPER TO FORM A REARWARDLY OPENING POCKET BETWEEN THE OUTER SURFACE OF THE UPPER AND THE PATCH, A RESILIENT SHANK STIFFENING ELEMENT POSITIONED WITHIN SAID POCKET AND EXTENDING REARWARDLY THEREOF OVERLYING SAID HEEL PORTION, AND HEEL MEANS OVERLYING THE REARWARDLY EXTENDING PORTION OF SAID SHANK STIFFENING ELEMENT, THEREBY NORMALLY HOLDING THE SOLE OF THE SHOE IN A RESILIENT EXTENDED POSITION. 